Tag Archives: atrazine

Post navigation

Apparently your drinking water is not the only substance that could induce a sex change. Endocrine disrupting chemicals, (EDC’s) also labeled “gender-benders,” have also been found in the air you breathe.

Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, such as detergents, carpets, furniture, electronic equipment, pesticides and building materials. EDC’s are more concentrated indoors than outdoors, according to a recent study. These chemicals affect indoor air quality, and long term exposure may cause “adverse health effects.”

(Considering that some species of fish exposed to atrazine, a common EDC, have been found with both male and female sex organs – I think “adverse health effects” might be somewhat of an understatement…)

Researchers suggest that concerned people limit their exposure to these compounds by using fewer of the products that contain them. And, of course, we at Filters Fast believe that investing in a high quality, HEPA air purifier couldn’t hurt.

We heard about the herbicide problem in your water supply and thought it would be a good idea to write you and let you know that you don’t have to wait on your town’s Public Works Department to take action. You can reduce the level of atrazine present your water, straight from your kitchen sink. And you don’t even need any special tools to do it.

Before we get into “how,” it’s a good idea for you to read the blog post we did a couple of months ago – “Sex Changing Chemicals in your Drinking Water,” – to find out why it’s so important that you rid yourself of this problem as soon as possible. We hear you’ve been relying on bottled water, which may seem like the answer, but as that blog post reveals, is in fact no better than drinking atrazine-infested tap water.

After reading that, you might be slightly worried, or very worried, which is perfectly natural. But there’s hope. As mentioned at the end of that post, we carry several brands of refrigerator filters, undersink water filters, and faucet filters that reduce levels of atrazine significantly. For your situation, we recommend a faucet filter, as these are the easiest to install. They attach directly to your faucet in minutes for fresh, great-tasting water straight out of the kitchen. Your neighbors will scratch their heads in wonder when they come over and see you drinking water from the tap.

Purchase a water filter online for a better price than you will find in stores, and we’ll ship it quickly, straight to your doorstep at an affordable rate. We hope you rest easy knowing that you now have access to clean drinking water.

What’s in your water? We at Filters Fast have compiled a list of the top ten most disturbing things found in tap and bottled water. Some of these may surprise you.

#10 – Chlorine

The chlorination of water is a disinfecting method used by water treatment plants to eliminate the presence of bacteria and other microorganisms in city supplies. This seems beneficial, but consider the consequences: chlorine in water often reacts with other naturally-occurring elements to produce toxins that are carcinogenic. Prolonged exposure has been linked with several adverse health conditions like asthma and several types of cancer.

#9 – Lead

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Lead in water is a major concern for children and pregnant women, as it affects physical and mental development. Although measures taken over the last few decades have drastically reduced the amount of lead in water supplies, it is still often found in houses and buildings with old pipes. Water that sits for long periods of time in corroded pipes can become contaminated and, when drank, result in lead poisoning.

#8 – Cysts

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are two of the most common water-borne microbiological cysts. These protozoan parasites enter lakes and streams through sewage and animal waste. Drinking water from said lakes and streams is not such a good idea, unless you’re sure the cysts have been filtered out. You could end up with a mild to severe gastrointestinal illness.

#7 – BPA

BPA, otherwise known as bisphenol-A, is found in the plastic used in water bottles and other manufactured products. A large number of studies on BPA have found its effects on the body to be toxic. If BPA leaches into bottled water, it could result in many different types of cancer.

#6 – Fluoride

Ah, the Fluoride debate: to fluoridate or not to fluoridate. Well, some maintain that fluoride in water is beneficial to dental health. Others claim it is linked to bone cancer and can actually cause dental fluorosis with extensive exposure. It’s all a matter of where your priorities lie. Sure you might die of cancer, but at least you can still flash those healthy, strong pearly whites during your funeral visitation, right?

#5 – Fecal Coliforms

Yes, you read that right. While bottled water companies market their product as healthier than tap, many bottles have been found to contain a small percentage of feces. What’s another word for feces?

You don’t want that in your water.

#4 – Pesticides and Herbicides

This might not sound like such a big deal, since pesticides and herbicides are regularly used to farm our world’s food supplies. But whether you eat them or drink them, these substances are toxic, and have been labeled “gender benders.” Studies have found that atrazine, a common herbicide, is able to turn male frogs into female frogs. Farm run-off puts these toxins in our water supplies, so unless you’re trying to induce a sex change, I’d be careful.

#3 – Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals are scary, because they may be harder to filter than all of these other substances. Since pharmaceuticals do not biodegrade, throwing them in the trash or flushing them down the toilet may cause them to end up in your water supply. Ninety percent of pills can pass through humans unchanged, so that human waste becomes a factor as well. Repeatedly ingesting water contaminated with pharmaceuticals can disrupt normal hormone function or lead to cancer.

#2 – Natural Gas

Several homes across the country, all of which are near a local natural-gas drilling site, have witnessed the miracle of flaming tap water. The good news is that it’s easy to test for – hold a lighter up to your faucet. The down side is that you might get burned while doing so.

#1 – Crickets

In the words of Dr. Peter Gleick, “yes, crickets.” Gleick recently published a book called, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession With Bottled Water. In it, he discusses the contaminants found in bottled water that most people don’t look for. His examples include a 1994 recall on a Texas-manufactured, bottled, sparkling water that was found to be contaminated with crickets.

I don’t think it gets more disturbing than this, but I could be wrong. Are these the ten worst things found in tap and bottled water supplies? Perhaps you have some contaminated water stories you’d like to share.